So Much To Do, So Little Time…

It’s hard for me to believe sometimes that I’ve been on Kwaj for over 6 months. A week from Sunday I’ll actually be at my 7-month mark. How time flies!

Other than keeping busy at work, I have been able to keep myself very busy staying involved in fun activities.

Here are some highlights:

Open water, nitrox, and advanced open water scuba dive certifications
Scuba diving
Snorkeling / free diving
Working on getting my B-boat (powerboat) license
Sailing
Becoming completely obsessed with underwater photography: purchased a full DSLR underwater camera system, from a Canon EOS 7D (love LOVE LOVE that camera!) and a 100mm macro lens and 10-22mm wide angle lens to an Aquatica housing, two Ikelite strobes, and all manner of accessories. Have been reading up on underwater photography and taking my camera with me almost every time I get in the water (yes, yes, while I’m still very new at this, I’ll get to posting some of the photos on my blog at some point hopefully in the not distant future)
Revived interest in astrophography due to fairly dark skies (very clear nights are rather hard to come by at times, though)
Making friends and engaging in above water activities with friends (noticing a theme here? Perhaps related to being on a tiny island surrounded by water?)

This next week I’m scheduled to ride in a chopper up to Gagan, one of the islands on the northeast side of the atoll, with one of the weather station techs. He’s going there to download some data or check instruments or something; I’m just along for the ride, as it’ll be my first ever ride in a helicopter, something I’ve long wanted to do.

My first (plane) trip off of Kwaj will be in 2.5 months, when I’m planning on meeting my family in Hawaii to visit and travel the Big Island for a week. I’ve already booked a manta ray dive for myself off the coast of Kona. 🙂

Alright, here are a few teaser photos.